Za’atar Sweet Potato Fries
I LOVE fries, but then again who doesn’t? They’re salty, crunchy and so freaking fun to eat - BUT also addicting and not the healthiest option (at least when they’re fried). But that certainly doesn’t mean I don’t eat them every once in a while (my motto is it’s all about balance) and definitely doesn’t mean you can’t make your own healthy version at home. Enter the sweet potato — a natural anti-inflammatory superfood packed with vitamins, nutrients and antioxidants. Sweet potatoes are a complex carbohydrate which means they naturally slow down our digestion, keeping us fuller longer and increasing our energy. And uhhhh, they’re freaking delicious.
These baked sweet potato fries are the perfect alternative to tradition French fries. I kick the flavor up a notch by covering them in za’atar seasoning, a traditional Middle Eastern spice blend made mostly of sumac, coriander, sesame seeds, and cumin. If you’ve never cooked with za’atar before, you’re in for a treat. The seasoning is so unique and flavorful, soon you’ll be sprinkling it on carrots, cauliflower, asparagus — basically any vegetable you can roast. I mean, you could even pour some onto a plate with high-quality extra virgin olive oil and dunk some warm pita in there, YUMMM.
What makes this side dish even better is that it’s legit so easy to make and requires just a bit of prep work. The important step here is to cut your fries evenly. Ok, that’s probably the hardest part (and it’s really not that difficult). One tip to get these fries into the crunchy consistency we all crave is to soak them in a bowl of cold water for at least 30 minutes. This helps remove excess starch which results in that beautiful, crispy coating that we get with flash-fried French fries. One more tip that aides in the crispiness is coating the fries in cornstarch. You’ll do this step after the water bath. And there you have it. So without further ado, here’s the recipe! As always, if you make this dish be sure to tag #neuereveal and don’t forget to have fun in the kitchen xx
Ingredients
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch fries
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp cornstarch
2-3 tbsp zaatar seasoning
1 tsp pink himalayan sea salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Place your cut and peeled sweet potato sticks in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for 30 minutes.
Whisk together cornstarch and za’atar seasoning in a small bowl and set aside.
After the potatoes have soaked for 30 minutes, drain water and pat the potatoes dry.
Place potatoes in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil.
Coat the fries in the cornstarch and za’atar blend and toss until evenly coated.
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange them on the pan, making sure not to crowd them. The fries should not be touching so that they bake evenly.
Bake for 15 minutes, then take the time to flip each individual fry. Then back in the oven for another 15 miniutes.
Once fries are done, remove from oven and immediately season with salt.
Serve with this cilantro-lime curry sauce.
